We’ve spent the last four posts exploring the role of butter in ganache and other confections, and now it’s time for a little substitution experiment. A good guideline for the addition of butter to a ganache is to add 15% of the weight of the cream and chocolate combined. So in…

Butter is primarily used in ganaches to create a smooth, rich mouthfeel. So, the question is: What gives butter that luxurious characteristic, and do other fats have it? This is the big question about butter these days with many people going dairy-free or exploring extreme flavour combinations (wasabi truffles anyone?)…

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11 hours agoby ecolechocolatDon’t forget, our next Mastering Chocolate Flavor Program starts on Friday, but there’s still time to sign up! Chocolate doesn’t just have one flavor, and the more you taste, the more you begin to explore the range of those flavors and find what you enjoy the most! This online program will not only guide you through the art of tasting, but will give you a solid base to understand what you’re tasting and why. Different chocolates taste different for many reasons - genetics, environment or even your mood! Click on the link in our profile to sign up!

2 days agoby ecolechocolatMore student work from day 1 of our graduate chocolatier #ecbowen program with Joanne & Carlos @cocoawestbc We’ll post more photos this week, so stay tuned to see the finished chocolates!

6 days agoby ecolechocolatAnd BREATHE! Sending big hugs & high fives to our students, grads & colleagues in the fine chocolate industry! ❤️You’ve made it through the winter holidays & Valentine’s Day...now you can take a moment to breathe & reboot before Easter. Enjoy a quiet coffee (or something stronger ) before the insanity starts again!

1 week agoby ecolechocolatHappy Valentine’s Day! Any day celebrating love and chocolate is a happy day in our minds. We hope you are enjoying some fabulous fine chocolate with your favorite people today. ❤️❤️❤️

2 weeks agoby ecolechocolatLooking for the PERFECT gift for your Valentine? Our Mastering Chocolate Flavor Program starts on February 23rd! Our 8 week online class takes you on an exploration of chocolate tasting & flavor so that you’ll not only enjoy tasting, but understand what you’re tasting and why. Why not sign up with your Valentine & take the program together? Or take it with your friends? Click on the link in our profile for more information! ❤️❤️

Bean2bonbon – About the authors

Rachel McKinley

As a chocolatier, I love the blend of science and art that results from working with our fine chocolate medium. My days are filled with creating new products, experimenting in my chocolate lab, working with my clients and customers while a the same time instructing for Ecole Chocolat programs. I find great pleasure in helping people passionate about chocolate achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. I have a degree in microbiology and a degree in English literature, so I have a creative side and a technical side, and [chocolatiering] really married those things for me quite beautifully.

Alysha Kropf

I spent several years in the not-for-profit sector with roles in communications, marketing and program management before joining Ecole Chocolat as the Program and Marketing Director. I leaped at a role where I could combine my love of writing with my love of chocolate! Still relatively new to the world of chocolate, I have jumped in with both feet and love learning more every day. When I’m not reading about chocolate, or writing about chocolate, or eating (sorry “tasting”) chocolate, I’m chasing after one or all of my three boys, ages nine, five and five.